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Waves of Change

Imagine losing coastlines, entire islands, and substantial parts of Asia, northern Europe and the Arctic from erosion, floods, and glacial melting. Imagine the consequences of a year with record heat temperatures.

Can you envision a world constantly hit with hurricanes and tsunamis, afflicted with drowning seals and disappearing polar bears, and impoverished by lost marine environments and arctic livelihoods? Can you further envision the disappearance of coral reefs, and depletion of as much as 1/3 of the species in the oceans due to ocean acidification and climate change?

Now, imagine a world where you could make a difference. Imagine that you could help the world better undersand the oceans, reduce ocean pollution, restore ecosystems, repair damaged marine environments and replenish the oceans' resources.

Can you imagine rebuilding the world's oceans and seas, valuable resources upon which so much of our existence depends? Can you imagine taking on challenges such as climate change impacts, ocean acidification, and bleaching of coral reefs?

As one of our most precious assets, the ocean is indispensable to life itself. It is the largest habitat for living things in our solar system and sustains our lives with over 50 percent of the earth's oxygen. "Without our oceans, we wouldn't be able to breathe; we wouldn't be able to eat; we wouldn't be able to live.'"

The Ocean and coastal resources supply us with:

A vital source of food - The ocean is the primary source of protein for over 2.6 billion people worldwide;

A source of employment and livelihood - Economic activity resulting from the ocean indirectly and directly support 200 - 400 million people each year;

Energy that powers the planet - The oceans hold existing and potential oil and gas reserves for future energy use;

A place for leisure and sports - More than 200 million people visit coastal cities and countries each year;

A place to live - Over half of the world's population live within 200 km of a coastline.

Increasing economic activity and climate change, however, have put our marine environments, and our own existence in great peril. Marine ecosystems are at risk of being lost forever; fisheries are facing declining catches; and island states are threatened by rising sea levels. The specter of global terrorism and nuclear activity in the oceans also pose a great danger to our lives.

Waves of change offers an opportunity to address all of these issues and more. View an introduction to Waves of Change below.

Climate change top ocean stressor: StudyLast Updated on 2015-07-17 10:04:35
Climate change is the largest human-caused stressor on the world's oceans, according to a new study published in the journal Nature.
Of the areas observed in the study, about two-thirds of ocean and 77 percent of waters in national exclusive economic zones experienced increased harm from human activity, based on a comparison of data between 2008 and 2013. Almost all of those detrimental effects on marine ecosystems came from climate change, rather than other practices such as fishing, pollution and agricultural runoff.
"The many stressors associated with climate change (anomalously high sea surface temperatures, ocean acidification and increasing ultraviolet radiation) dominate humanity's footprint on the open ocean, but commercial fishing and shipping also cover large areas of the oceans and contribute significantly to overall impact," said... More »

Celebrate World Ocean Day at Tampa Bay Watch!Last Updated on 2015-06-08 14:25:41
The event will feature:
• Dr. Ellen Prager - Dr. Prager is a marine scientist and author, widely recognized for her expertise and ability to make science entertaining and understandable for people of all ages. She is currently a freelance writer, science advisor to Celebrity Xpedition in the Galapagos Islands, and a Safina Center Fellow. She was previously the Chief Scientist for the Aquarius Reef Base program in Key Largo, FL, which includes the world’s only undersea research station, and at one time the Assistant Dean at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science. Dr. Prager has built a national reputation as a scientist and spokesperson on earth and ocean science issues and is a sought after speaker for public-oriented events and as an expert by the media. She has appeared on The Today Show and NBC News, Good Morning America,... More »

Celebrate World Ocean's Day with us.Last Updated on 2015-06-02 15:23:59
Join us for a evening World Oceans Day celebration with Dr. Ellen Prager, sustainable seafood, a report on the Windsor Castle Consultation on Sustainable Tourism and more.
June 8th at 6:30 p.m.
Tampa Bay Watch
3000 Pinellas Bayway South
Tierra Verde FL 33715
R.S.V.P. wavesofchange4@me.com
Please feel free to extend this invitation to family, colleagues, and friends provided that you RSVP with their names as space is limited.
Click Here for more details on the event.
Hope to see you there
Be Well,
Dave Randle
More »

Solar-Powered Water Wheel Can Clean 50,000 Pounds of Baltimore’s Trash Per DayLast Updated on 2015-02-04 19:33:30
This post first appeared on EcoWatch.
A large wheel has been strolling the Baltimore Inner Harbor this summer, doing its best to clean the trash that has littered a city landmark and tourist attraction.
It’s called the Inner Harbor Water Wheel, and though it moves slowly, it has the capability to collect 50,000 pounds of trash. The timing for John Kellett’s solar-powered creation is crucial — hands and crab nets simply can’t keep up with the growing amount of wrappers, cigarette butts, bottles and other debris carried from storm drains into the harbor.
“It looks sort of like a cross between a spaceship and a covered wagon and an old mill,” Kellett told NPR. “It’s pretty unique in its look, but it’s also doing a really good job getting this trash out of the water.”
The wheel has become an integral part of the Healthy... More »

Last HoursLast Updated on 2014-09-23 14:28:35The film “Last Hours” is the 2nd film in the Green World Rising Series ( the first one is "Carbon" that is available on this channel). Last Hours describes a science-based climate scenario where a tipping point to runaway climate change is triggered by massive releases of frozen methane. Methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, has already started to percolate into the open seas and atmosphere from methane hydrate deposits beneath melting arctic ice, from the warming northern-hemisphere tundra, and from worldwide continental-shelf undersea methane pools.
Burning fossil fuels release carbon that, principally through greenhouse effect, heat the atmosphere and the seas. This is happening most rapidly at the polar extremes, and this heating has already begun the process of releasing methane. If we do not begin to significantly curtail the use of carbon-based fossil fuels,... More »

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